The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-01-06

full. Her face, neck and arms were o
perfect shape and as white as marble
excepting single flush of red upon eacf
cheek. But her foremost charm-th'
one wherein che surpassed all otbel
women-lay in her deep, black eyes
They were entirely, absolutely black
not the kind of eyes which are commonly
by a polite fiction, SO termed; but there
was no trace of any other color in them
or about them save the great milk-white
pearls which served as their settings
Her lashes, too, were long and duaky
and, when she wished it, completely
yelled the wonderful eyes which had &c
powerfully impressed me. Though she
was somewhat taller than women com
monty are, her exquisite shapeliness waE
in no way detracted from by her height
Somehow everything about her strange
ly moved and affected her. There was
supple, cat-like lightness which marked
her every movement, and I felt that she
was the occult and tangible centre of ar
atmosphere of weird and intangible mys
terry. One moment l would almost feal
her, and the next moment I would fine
myself regretting that I must ever &c
away and leave her. Her glances thrill
ed and bewildered me like some resistlesE
and overpoweripg emotion, and at the
lightest touch of her hand or the most
insignificant rustic of her garments every
sense tingled and every nerve quivered
The secret of her strange power ovel
me was beyond my guessing, but that il
was sufficient to overcome any resistance
might attempt was fully convinced
Every trick of juggler, snakecharmel
and mesmerist knew as we'll as knew
the history of my own life; but she en-
ployed no such method. l was in nc
sense dulled or stupe6ed; on the contrary
my mental perceptions we're more than
ordinarily keen. Thought was in no way
hindered OF impelled, and 1 was not only
fully conscious of the phenomena by
which she was controlling me, but was
studying and analyzing it as coolly as il
it was, even then, matter of the past
instead of the present. I knew, too, that
she was exercising just enough Of her
subtle force to hold me subservient to
her will and not whit more. She, mani
testify, only sought to enchain me sutfi.
ciently to prevent my resisting her, but,
at the same time, it was her aim to leave
me, as far as possible. in a normal condi.
tion. I was of the opinion that she had
something to communicate to me con-
cerning her demon tormentor which she
feared l might be unwilling to listen to.
There was much in her present manner
which so impressed ME, and many little
circumstances connected with the depart.
ure of the jewellers now came flashing
through my mind, satisfying me that
had conjectured rightly. The more
reflected upon the strange events of the
night the more mysterious and wonder.
full the woman seemed to me. Every
time that she had spoken to me she had
addressed me in French: my native Ian.
guage. 10 the revellers she had spoken
in Italian. Since We we're in Italy, and
there was nothing in my personality to
indicate that I was a Frenchman, how
had she SO accurately guessed my nation
ality? Had she already guessed it when
I came to her rescue, or even before,
while was still floating under her bal
cony, listening to her song?
For brief time these aud similar
thoughts made me even more uucom.
Portable than my reflections of the ghoul,
or goblin, with whom I found her wres!-
ling when first entered her rooms.
Was she sorceress? No I could
swear, standing there as I was, gazing
down into her pure face, that she was an
angel. My faith in her was complete,
and could neither have been shaken nor
intensified. My face must have betrayed
my mental processes, for saw all at once
that she knew my thoughts and was sat
isfed. She had entirely released me
from the brief condition of resistlessness
or thraldom in which. for a few seconds,
she had held me; and I was now left the
supreme master Of my own will. Her
beauty, however, was more patent than
the other spell by which she had coutroll-
ed me, and l Suddenly felt that my whole
heart was hers forever She, too, seemed
to realize this, for deep crimson flush
all at once spread over her face, neck
and shoulders. I was more than ever
charmed by this evidence of her maiden
ly modesty, and impetuously extended
my hands toward her.
For an instant only she bcsiatted, then
she placed both her bands in mine.
"Shall you stay and test my wineP"
she whispered, confusedly.
"I WILL" cried. "You know could
not do otherwise if I would. To look
into your eyes, though, and to hear your
voice is more to me than the rarest wine
in the world. When I heard you sing.
ing to night your music was SO perfect
that forgot Italy, and thought that I
was once more in my own fair France.
But am glad to have SO sweet an awak-
ening to my dream. Yes" repeated,
kissing her hands; II will stay and drink
your wine; I will stay until you send me
away"
Her color deepcned, and she bowed
her head.
"And that" she said, "will be when
you are tired of me"
She called for wine, but we scarcely
tasted it, though we sat together in the
moonlight until long after the hour Of
midnight was struck from the clock
towers.